Dr Natalie Welden

  • Lecturer in Environmental Science and Sustainability (School of Social & Environmental Sustainability)

Biography

Natalie grew up in a family of keen kayakers and has always wanted a job in which she could be close to water and call it work. 

Her first forays into biology began with catching tadpoles, dragonfly nymphs and fish fry, graduating to a fishing rod bought for her 9th birthday. This early education led her to study Ecology at Derby University (2005-2008), where she specialised in aquatic habitats, spending her final summer canoeing up and down the River Trent sampling benthic invertebrates in an effort to determine the impacts of power station effluent.

After leaving Derby she travelled north, studying for an MSc in Marine Environmental Management at the University of York (2009-2010), focusing on anthropogenic impacts on estuarine environments. Over this period she also worked at the Environment Agency, in the routine monitoring of river health, continuing her work on freshwater invertebrates, this time as indicators of riverine pollution. 

After graduating from York, Natalie spent a few blustery autumn months surveying whales and dolphins in Cardigan Bay, after which she moved north yet again to begin a PhD with the University of Glasgow (based at the University Marine Biological Station Millport), analysing the impacts of microplastic in the Clyde Sea Area (2011-2015). 

Since leaving Millport, Natalie undertook post-docs at the Stockholm Environment Institute in York and at the Open University in Milton Keynes, before joining the University of Portsmouth as a Teaching Fellow in September 2017, where she was heavily involved in teaching both Marine Biology and Biology. 

Natalie returned to the University of Glasgow in August 2018, joining the School of Social & Environmental Sustainability as a lecturer on the BSc in Environmental Science and Sustainability degree.

Research interests

Natalie's research focuses on human influences on aquatic habitats and organisms, particularly the sources, distribution and impacts of microplastic pollution.

Whilst carrying out her PhD in the Clyde she worked on the (then novel) issue of microplastic pollution. The project took a holistic approach to the field, studying the degradation of macro-plastic debris in marine habitats and the distribution of microplastic formed, as well as observing microplastic uptake and its impact in the commercially important langoustine population. 

Since completing my PhD Natalie has also worked on the degradation and impacts of novel degradable and compostable plastics (establishing the effectiveness and impacts of the novel polymers), has been involved in a number of citizen science projects examining a suite of environmental issues, and in championing engineering solutions to the problem of microplastic capture.

Key areas of interest:

  • The ecotoxicological impacts of microplastics and other novel contaminants
  • The formation and distribution of microplastics
  • The degradation of plastics in aquatic and terrestrial environments
  • Environmental applications of the citizen science phenomenon

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2024 | 2023 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
Number of items: 18.

2024

Peng, Y., Welden, N. and Renaud, F. (2024) Incorporating ecosystem services into comparative vulnerability and risk assessments in the Pearl River and Yangtze River deltas, China. Ocean and Coastal Management, 249, 106980. (doi: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106980)

2023

Dunn, R. A. and Welden, N. A. (2023) Management of environmental plastic pollution: a comparison of existing strategies and emerging solutions from nature. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 234, 201. (doi: 10.1007/s11270-023-06190-2)

Suter, S., Barrett, B. and Welden, N. (2023) Do biodiversity monitoring citizen science surveys meet the core principles of open science practices? Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 195(2), 295. (doi: 10.1007/s10661-022-10887-y) (PMID:36633699)

Peng, Y., Welden, N. and Renaud, F. G. (2023) A framework for integrating ecosystem services indicators into vulnerability and risk assessments of deltaic social-ecological systems. Journal of Environmental Management, 326(Part A), 116682. (doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116682)

2021

Rist, S., Hartmann, N. B. and Welden, N. A.C. (2021) How fast, how far: diversification and adoption of novel methods in aquatic microplastic monitoring. Environmental Pollution, 291, 118174. (doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118174) (PMID:34583265)

2020

Lusher, A. L., Bråte, I. L. N., Munno, K., Hurley, R. R. and Welden, N. A. (2020) Is it or isn't it: the importance of visual classification in microplastic characterization. Applied Spectroscopy, 74(9), pp. 1139-1153. (doi: 10.1177/0003702820930733) (PMID:32394728)

Welden, N. A. (2020) The environmental impacts of plastic pollution. In: Letcher, T. M. (ed.) Plastic Waste and Recycling: Environmental Impact, Societal Issues, Prevention, and Solutions. Academic Press: London, pp. 195-222. ISBN 9780128178805 (doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-817880-5.00008-6)

Welden, N. A. and Lusher, A. (2020) Microplastics: from origin to impacts. In: Letcher, T. M. (ed.) Plastic Waste and Recycling: Environmental Impact, Societal Issues, Prevention, and Solutions. Academic Press: London, pp. 223-249. ISBN 9780128178805 (doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-817880-5.00009-8)

West, S. E., Büker, P., Ashmore, M., Njoroge, G., Welden, N. , Muhoza, C., Osano, P., Makau, J., Njoroge, P. and Apondo, W. (2020) Particulate matter pollution in an informal settlement in Nairobi: Using citizen science to make the invisible visible. Applied Geography, 114, 102133. (doi: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2019.102133)

2019

Welden, N. (2019) Microplastics: emerging contaminants requiring multilevel management. In: Letcher, T. M. and Vallero, D. A. (eds.) Waste: a Handbook for Management [Second Edition]. Academic Press: Amsterdam, pp. 405-424. ISBN 9780128150603 (doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-815060-3.00021-9)

2018

Welden, N. A. , Abylkhani, B. and Howarth, L. M. (2018) The effects of trophic transfer and environmental factors on microplastic uptake by plaice, Pleuronectes plastessa, and spider crab, Maja squinado. Environmental Pollution, 239, 351 - 358. (doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.03.110) (PMID:29674213)

Welden, N.A. , Wolseley, P.A. and Ashmore, M.R. (2018) Citizen science identifies the effects of nitrogen deposition, climate and tree species on epiphytic lichens across the UK. Environmental Pollution, 232, 80 - 89. (PMID:28967570)

2017

Welden, N. A. and Cowie, P. (2017) Degradation of common polymer ropes in a sublittoral marine environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 118(1-2), 248 - 253. (doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.02.072) (PMID:28267994)

Welden, N. and Lusher, A. L. (2017) Impacts of changing ocean circulation on the distribution of marine microplastic litter. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 13(3), pp. 483-487. (doi: 10.1002/ieam.1911) (PMID:28440930)

Lusher, A.L., Welden, N.A. , Sobral, P. and Cole, M. (2017) Sampling, isolating and identifying microplastics ingested by fish and invertebrates. Analytical Methods, 9, pp. 1346-1360. (doi: 10.1039/C6AY02415G)

2016

Welden, N. A.C. and Cowie, P. R. (2016) Long-term microplastic retention causes reduced body condition in the langoustine, Nephrops norvegicus. Environmental Pollution, 218, 895 - 900. (doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.08.020) (PMID:27524255)

Welden, N. and Cowie, P. R. (2016) Environment and gut morphology influence microplastic retention in langoustine, Nephrops norvegicus. Environmental Pollution, 214, pp. 859-865. (doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.03.067) (PMID:27161832)

2015

Welden, N. A., Taylor, A. C. and Cowie, P. R. (2015) Growth and gut morphology of the lobster Nephrops norvegicus. Journal of Crustacean Biology, 35(1), pp. 20-25. (doi: 10.1163/1937240X-00002298)

This list was generated on Thu Apr 18 21:52:42 2024 BST.
Jump to: Articles | Book Sections
Number of items: 18.

Articles

Peng, Y., Welden, N. and Renaud, F. (2024) Incorporating ecosystem services into comparative vulnerability and risk assessments in the Pearl River and Yangtze River deltas, China. Ocean and Coastal Management, 249, 106980. (doi: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106980)

Dunn, R. A. and Welden, N. A. (2023) Management of environmental plastic pollution: a comparison of existing strategies and emerging solutions from nature. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 234, 201. (doi: 10.1007/s11270-023-06190-2)

Suter, S., Barrett, B. and Welden, N. (2023) Do biodiversity monitoring citizen science surveys meet the core principles of open science practices? Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 195(2), 295. (doi: 10.1007/s10661-022-10887-y) (PMID:36633699)

Peng, Y., Welden, N. and Renaud, F. G. (2023) A framework for integrating ecosystem services indicators into vulnerability and risk assessments of deltaic social-ecological systems. Journal of Environmental Management, 326(Part A), 116682. (doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116682)

Rist, S., Hartmann, N. B. and Welden, N. A.C. (2021) How fast, how far: diversification and adoption of novel methods in aquatic microplastic monitoring. Environmental Pollution, 291, 118174. (doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118174) (PMID:34583265)

Lusher, A. L., Bråte, I. L. N., Munno, K., Hurley, R. R. and Welden, N. A. (2020) Is it or isn't it: the importance of visual classification in microplastic characterization. Applied Spectroscopy, 74(9), pp. 1139-1153. (doi: 10.1177/0003702820930733) (PMID:32394728)

West, S. E., Büker, P., Ashmore, M., Njoroge, G., Welden, N. , Muhoza, C., Osano, P., Makau, J., Njoroge, P. and Apondo, W. (2020) Particulate matter pollution in an informal settlement in Nairobi: Using citizen science to make the invisible visible. Applied Geography, 114, 102133. (doi: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2019.102133)

Welden, N. A. , Abylkhani, B. and Howarth, L. M. (2018) The effects of trophic transfer and environmental factors on microplastic uptake by plaice, Pleuronectes plastessa, and spider crab, Maja squinado. Environmental Pollution, 239, 351 - 358. (doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.03.110) (PMID:29674213)

Welden, N.A. , Wolseley, P.A. and Ashmore, M.R. (2018) Citizen science identifies the effects of nitrogen deposition, climate and tree species on epiphytic lichens across the UK. Environmental Pollution, 232, 80 - 89. (PMID:28967570)

Welden, N. A. and Cowie, P. (2017) Degradation of common polymer ropes in a sublittoral marine environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 118(1-2), 248 - 253. (doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.02.072) (PMID:28267994)

Welden, N. and Lusher, A. L. (2017) Impacts of changing ocean circulation on the distribution of marine microplastic litter. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 13(3), pp. 483-487. (doi: 10.1002/ieam.1911) (PMID:28440930)

Lusher, A.L., Welden, N.A. , Sobral, P. and Cole, M. (2017) Sampling, isolating and identifying microplastics ingested by fish and invertebrates. Analytical Methods, 9, pp. 1346-1360. (doi: 10.1039/C6AY02415G)

Welden, N. A.C. and Cowie, P. R. (2016) Long-term microplastic retention causes reduced body condition in the langoustine, Nephrops norvegicus. Environmental Pollution, 218, 895 - 900. (doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.08.020) (PMID:27524255)

Welden, N. and Cowie, P. R. (2016) Environment and gut morphology influence microplastic retention in langoustine, Nephrops norvegicus. Environmental Pollution, 214, pp. 859-865. (doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.03.067) (PMID:27161832)

Welden, N. A., Taylor, A. C. and Cowie, P. R. (2015) Growth and gut morphology of the lobster Nephrops norvegicus. Journal of Crustacean Biology, 35(1), pp. 20-25. (doi: 10.1163/1937240X-00002298)

Book Sections

Welden, N. A. (2020) The environmental impacts of plastic pollution. In: Letcher, T. M. (ed.) Plastic Waste and Recycling: Environmental Impact, Societal Issues, Prevention, and Solutions. Academic Press: London, pp. 195-222. ISBN 9780128178805 (doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-817880-5.00008-6)

Welden, N. A. and Lusher, A. (2020) Microplastics: from origin to impacts. In: Letcher, T. M. (ed.) Plastic Waste and Recycling: Environmental Impact, Societal Issues, Prevention, and Solutions. Academic Press: London, pp. 223-249. ISBN 9780128178805 (doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-817880-5.00009-8)

Welden, N. (2019) Microplastics: emerging contaminants requiring multilevel management. In: Letcher, T. M. and Vallero, D. A. (eds.) Waste: a Handbook for Management [Second Edition]. Academic Press: Amsterdam, pp. 405-424. ISBN 9780128150603 (doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-815060-3.00021-9)

This list was generated on Thu Apr 18 21:52:42 2024 BST.

Grants

Ongoing Projects:

SOPaS - Stopping Ocean Plastics at Source (2019- 2020). This project, led by Inheriting Earth Ltd. in partnership with Beko Plc and JNDC Ltd., seeks to address the flow of textile derived microfibres between our washing machines and the domestic environment.

Funder: Innovate UK

Scheme: Open grant funding competition: round 3

Supervision

  • Ma, Youfei
    Quantification and modelling the transport of plastic debris in the river catchment scale
  • Peng, Yuting
    A framework for integrating ecosystem services indicators into vulnerability and risk assessment of deltaic social-ecological systems: Case studies from the Yangtze River and the Pearl River deltas in China
  • Suter, Samantha
    Open Science in Conservation: Combining Citizen Science and Remote Sensing Approaches for Habitat Monitoring
  • Taiyebi, Kazi Atiah
    Shrimp, mangrove and agriculture in coastal Bangladesh: Social-ecological system approach for a blue growth economy.

Teaching

Undergraduate

BSc (Hons) Environmental Science and Sustainability

Course Convenor:

  • Level 1: Marine Mammals Field Course (DUMF1068)
  • Level 3: Aquatic Environment: Processes, Monitoring, and Management (DUM3084)
  • Level 3: Environmental Placement (DUMF3080P)

Contributes to:

  • Level 3: Dissertation (DUMF3007P)
  • Level 4: Environmental stewardship project (DUMF4008P)
  • Level 4: Perspectives on the environment (DUMF4039)

 

Postgraduate

  • Level 5: Responding to Risks in Aquatic Environments (DUMF5136)
  • Level 5: Research Methods (Nankai JGS)